An electrical power connector is used to attach an electronic device, such as an appliance or other powered device, to its power source via an inlet. Conventional electrical connectors have electrically conductive terminals connected to a power cable and fixed together in a housing. When in use, the electrical connector is engaged with an inlet for the electronic device, which is mounted on or within the device so as to supply electrical power to the device. The combination of the connector and the inlet is referred to as a coupler. The conventional electrical connector is readily detachable from the inlet.
Users encounter difficulties when using conventional electrical connectors as the connector may be too readily detached from the inlet. Laptop computer users, for example, often are required to sit in a location that is not close to a power outlet so the cord from the power connector stretches across an area where people may be passing, resulting in the cord being stepped upon and the cord being caught by people's feet or other objects, resulting in the electrical power connector being pulled from the laptop. While the other end of the cable to the electrical power connector could also be pulled from a wall outlet, the wall outlet connection is usually more resistive to detachment so the laptop connection is usually detached first. Similar problems occur when other electrical device inlets are connected to an electrical power connector that is not capable of being locked to the electrical device inlet. However, it is not always desirable to have the electrical power connector locked to the inlet as the electrical device may be damaged if the cord is pulled hard while the connector is locked to the inlet.
It is therefore desirable to provide an improved coupler that enables the electrical power connector to be selectively locked to the inlet of the electrical device.